Buried Lives in Washington Square Park

New York City’s history is all around us – and below us. Joan H. Geismar, Ph.D., LLC, has served as archaeological consultant on all four phases of the recent Washington Square Park reconstruction, where she’s uncovered new history and unraveled mysteries about the park’s past. Most New Yorkers know that much of the square originally served as a potter’s field, but Geismar has revealed illuminating new evidence, like the presence of a keeper’s house on the property, brick burial vaults containing centuries-old coffins, and most surprisingly, the tombstone of early immigrant James Jackson, which sparked new knowledge and investigation into the square’s original uses. At this talk, Geismar will explore how she, through research and on-site excavation, identifies potential areas of significance, creates protocols for appropriate investigation, and uncovers elements of New York City long since buried and forgotten.